Here's a section of an old 1:10560 scale First Edition Ordnance Survey County Series map from 1889. It's a large image, and may take a while to load. For a more detailed view, visit www.old-maps.co.uk.

Note the line of the main road through Townwell, Bibstone and out of the village. The modern route cuts a straighter line through, leaving the loops we see nowadays into Townwell and Bibstone, and the two off the left of the main road heading northeast. Compare it with the modern map.